The Last Chapter
by MuggleBeene
Summary: Professor Muggle is retiring from Hogwarts after many years.  At his retirement party it is obvious while some things change, some things never do.  Part of the Professor Muggle series.


**The Last Chapter**

It is almost time; the clock on the wall doesn't lie. It is almost time to give up the office I have held for a dozen years; it is now going to belong to someone else, but it will be in good hands. I sit at my desk and look towards the smiling portraits, ah, the conversations that we've had over the years. They are all sleeping now, or absent, but I cannot help but walk over to the wall and look at the nameplates.

Albus Dumbledore, who helped change my world. Minerva McGonagall, who I only knew for a brief time while she was alive but has been one of my most cherished friends afterwards. Severus Snape, the man it took me years to finally come to understand and to be able to call my friend. Gawain Titus, who became a friend and trusted advisor. And finally the last portrait, still painful to look at all these years, my oldest friend and predecessor, Neville Longbottom. All former Headmasters of Hogwarts. Flurbin's portrait is small and was removed to a far corner behind a plant, one that Neville said would continuously grow and block his view. Fitting.

Neville is asleep in his portrait, but the plants sprout and bloom all around him. Virginia did a very good job on that portrait, she said it was very emotional to paint Uncle Neville, and I can sense the love she put into the painting.

"Headmaster, children are out roaming the halls!"

The ghost of Argus Filch hovers by my side, stroking an almost transparent cat, another at his feet. I smile; even death has not caused Argus to cease his rounds. "Its ok, Argus. You, Mrs. Norris and Miss Pemberton don't need to worry. They're allowed to be in the halls, as tonight is my retirement dinner. You can begin rounds after midnight; I don't think they need to be out quite that late."

This seems to agree with Filch as he and his spectral cats float out of the room through the door. I look back at my desk, still filled as if I had to meet with the Heads of the Houses to determine prefects or talk to someone who has misused a Weasley product, but I know that soon everything will be packed away. All of my pictures, all of my books; everything will return to the house in Stintborough that has been my home for over fifty years. What will Melody do with me? Ah, she'll find something, she always does. I'm sure that the children, grandchildren and my great-grandson will keep me occupied for some time, but I do feel it is time for a rest.

"Granpa Hank?"

I see my six-year-old great-grandson, holding his mother's hand at my door. His eyes shine tonight even brighter than his usual trips to my office. I hold out my arms and he runs into them, but I struggle a bit to pick him up. I look at him, "Am I late?"

"No Granpa, you can't be late. It's your party!"

I laugh. "Well, maybe it is time to go start the party. What do you say?" I put him down, but he looks over at my desk and I smile. "You know where they are, go ahead."

He runs over to my desk, opens a drawer and pulls out a glass box. After thrusting his hand in he pulls out a handful; before his mother can say anything he sticks the lot in his mouth.

"Harry Ronald Boyd! I told you no sweets before the dinner!" His mother looks over at him and shakes her head, then turns to me. "Granpa, you can't give him sweets before he eats. You know he won't want anything else now."

"Jasmine, dear, if I can't spoil my great-grandson, then what's the point? Besides, I am still Headmaster, and I believe it is quite ok." I look down at little Harry, who is making faces. "What was it this time?"

"Old socks, bananas, dirt and chocolate."

I shake my head. "I've told you, a handful of Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans is not going to end well. You will eat your dinner, though, right?"

He shakes his head positively and I hold out my hand. "Then let's go start the party."

As I walk into the Great Hall holding my great-grandson's hand the room stands up to applaud, and I am brought back to the first day I ever stepped foot into Hogwarts, the day that I had no idea that my life would change completely. All of that uncertainty! I still don't know how I would have managed to make it through if it hadn't been for all my friends, some now family, that helped me along the way. I think of Neville immediately, and wish that he could be here to see this. Eventually I make it to the Professor's table and sit. When the applause dies down I am surprised by a hug and a kiss on the cheek by a blond woman that I know very well. It makes me happy to watch her walk up to the Headmaster's podium, as that will be her podium from now on. I could not be prouder.

"Students, friends, family, members of the Ministry of Magic, I would like to welcome you all to Headmaster Boyd's retirement party. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Lavinia Ryder-Smythe, and I will be the new Headmistress at Hogwarts next year. Headmaster Boyd has been more than a Professor to me, even though he was my Muggle Studies Professor. He's been a friend, a father, a mentor and more. Professor Muggle, that's what we used to call him, and he never minded. He treated everyone the same, regardless of House even after he became the Head of Hufflepuff. He's not only been a great teacher, he's an author of many books as well as a key part of bringing the best of the Muggle world into the Wizarding world. Look around you. In attendance you will see some of the most important people in the Wizarding world, but if you look closer you'll see that to Professor Muggle you are all important people in the Wizarding world. It didn't matter that your title may be former Minister of Magic" she looked to Ron Weasley, who nodded to her "or the head of the Auror Department or a house-elf in the kitchens, you were all treated the same. Like family. At this time I would like to recognize Professor Muggle's family. Melody?"

My wife, still beautiful after all these years, stood up next to me and looked down. Her hair had gone grey long ago, but it did nothing to diminish her beauty.

Lavina smiled and continued. "This August Hank and Melody will celebrate fifty-one years of marriage. I'd like to think that I had a hand in helping out at the beginning" this caused laughter among the crowd "but I know that it was well on its way without my help. Would their children and their families stand when I call their names, and remain standing? Melody and Hank's oldest son Hieronymus and his wife Lily."

My son and his wife stood up, and I looked over to Harry and Ginny Potter, who smiled.

"Hieronymus and Lily's son Arthur, his wife Jasmine, and their son Harry."

"Hi Granpa!" Little Harry waved, and caused the crowd to laugh a bit.

I waved back and smiled. That boy was going to be a handful.

Lavinia waited for the laughter to die down before continuing. "Virginia Weasley and her husband Hugo, and their sons Vincent and Georgie." I watched my oldest daughter stand up with her husband and her sons. It had taken her and Hugo long enough to finally realize that they could be happy together, and tonight they definitely looked the part. "And last but not least, as Melody calls them, her little surprises, Minerva Boyd Finnegan and Hermione Boyd Malfoy."

My twin daughters stood with their husbands and children.

"Minerva and Alan Finnegan and their daughter Gwen. Hermione, her husband Scorpius and their daughters Karen, Petal, Lyra and Kitty." Lavinia looked at the room. "Of all of Professor Muggle's accomplishments, I believe the people you see standing are his greatest accomplishment."

I stood up and took Melody's hand, not caring that tears were starting to come. I kissed her and walked over to Lavinia, and stood there with my arms open. I gave her a hug that I tried to put all of my love into, as she had become just like one of my children over the years, if not my first child. She kissed me on the cheek and sat down, and I walked to the podium for the last time. But they wouldn't sit down, they all kept applauding. Eventually I motioned for them all to be seated, and after much scraping of chairs and murmuring they all sat down.

I looked at the people assembled and shook my head. "I cannot thank you enough. By now you all know the story of how I got here, and" I looked over at the student section "I won't bore you again." My students laughed, knowing that I had indeed told the story many times. "I have been fortunate. Very fortunate. I have had many people help me along the way, and without them I would not be here. Unfortunately some of them are no longer with us, but that does not mean that they should not be recognized. I wish that Arthur and Molly Weasley could be here to see this day, but most of all I wish that Headmaster Neville Longbottom could be here." I looked over to Hannah, who sat with her daughter Alice and son-in-law James Potter. "Neville believed in me when I didn't believe in myself."

I stood at the podium looking down for a moment, the room silent. I took a deep breath and looked up. "Headmistress Minerva McGonagall proved to me that it isn't the quantity of time you spend with people, but the quality. I urge you all to remember that each day. Make the most of your time, not only as students, but as people. At my age time is a funny thing; it seems so thin and short. When I was younger time seemed to stretch out forever, but as we have all learned time is like water, you cannot catch it with your hands. It is there and then it slips away. Time does slip away, but memories do not. I will cherish all of my memories at Hogwarts. Wait, shit." A giant roar of laughter broke out amongst the crowd, and I looked down at Melody, who just shook her head. "I apologize for my cursing. It is a habit that I have found most troublesome to break. What I was trying to say is that I will not only cherish my memories of Hogwarts, I will cherish all of my life, even the bad parts, as they make up a part of the whole. I would not change my life for the world, and I want all of you to do the same. Live your lives to the fullest."

I sat down and watched the room stand up to applaud again. This time the tears were flowing freely, and I took off my glasses to wipe away the tears with a handkerchief. When the applause died down I heard a small voice in the quiet say "Is it time to eat, Mum?"

Laughter again prevailed, and I saw my great-grandson looking embarrassed. I stood up. "I believe young Harry is right. Let us eat!"

After speaking to a great many people I walked hand-in-hand with Melody to my office for the last time. As we were in no hurry, and walking was harder these days, it took us quite some time to come to the gargoyles.

"Are you ready, Hank?"

I looked at Melody and smiled. "Yes, love. It's time."

We walked into the office but it wasn't empty. My children all stood in front of my desk. I received hugs from all of them, and then Virginia walked over behind my desk.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Gin?"

"We thought you might want to do the honors yourself." She reached behind my desk and brought out a very large object wrapped in brown paper and handed it to me.

Hieronymus stepped up beside her. "We thought" he looked at his sisters, who nodded "that it would be perfect right over there." He pointed to a newly empty space next to Neville's portrait.

I unwrapped the package and there it was; my portrait. I was sitting at my desk, books all around me, and a record player was in the background. A small badger would occasionally saunter across the landscape. The light was bright and sunny, just like the light at our house in Stintborough on Spring mornings. I was wearing my grey robes with the quill and parchment designs woven in, and just peeking up from underneath my robes I could see my old Ramones t-shirt. I was sleeping and knew that I would remain so until that one fateful day.

I hugged them all again. "Gin, it's one of your best. Thank you." I picked up the portrait and hung it next to Neville, who was no longer sleeping. He was smiling at me, and I noticed then that all of the Headmasters were in their portraits and awake. "It has been an honor to share an office with you all these years. I can't thank you enough for all of your patience and advice."

I looked around the room. "This is going to take some time to sort out; I guess I should start now."

"No, Dad." Hermione looked at me. "Lavinia said you weren't to touch a thing, we'll take care of it all. You and Mum just head home. We'll meet you there."

I smiled at my children and took Melody's hand. "Well then, I guess we're not in charge anymore."

Melody just smiled at me. "Oh Hank, it's been years since we've been in charge. Let's go home."


End file.
